


Late Nights

by A_simple_lee



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, Reader Insert, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:53:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27580292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_simple_lee/pseuds/A_simple_lee
Summary: You’re trying to get better at asking people, you swear - but Spencer makes it so much more embarrassing than it needs to be.Lee!reader.
Relationships: Spencer Reid & Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	Late Nights

_Hey, can you-_

_Um hi so-_

_Hello I don’t know how to say this but-_

It’s been two minutes. You’ve been ‘typing’ for two minutes. This isn't looking good. Sure, you don’t know how Spencer’s going to react, but asking him in person later seems ten times more daunting. At least texting saves you from having to say _that word_ out loud.

You’re very glad Penelope’s too busy raving about Star Trek with her boyfriend to notice how freaked out you’re getting. Emily and Derek are over by the bar, fortunately, so you don’t have to worry about your blatantly nervous demeanour that much. 

You take a deep breath, type out a message, & press send.

_Hey, ykno how you’re coming over for LOTR tonight? could you maybe tickle me later? Please?_

It’s done. You put your phone on the desk. He’s not even here yet, anyway, it’s not like you have to see him open-

_Oh no._

It’s just your luck, really, that Reid would be walking through the door to the bar just as his phone receives the notification. 

You duck your head and try not to give anything away with your body language. It’s fine, this is fine, you just-

Spencer shakes his head fondly in the corner of your eye, and not a minute later your phone makes a noise. 

_Be ready._

Well, shit. It’s 8, and the plan is to leave at 9. What were you thinking? You fight the urge to hide your head in your arms, and turn back to Penelope, resolutely blanking Spencer as he approaches the table.

“There you are!” Garcia’s all welcoming hugs and smiles and excited fangirling, so you take your opportunity to slip away, muttering something about getting drinks, and giving Spencer a small wave so as not to seem rude. Talk about awful timing.

You take extra care to approach the bar at a safe distance from where Prentiss and Morgan are sitting, because you are not ready for a conversation with those two. It crosses your mind that you should probably order something stronger than water if you want to get your act together, so that’s what you do. You allow yourself a brief glance over your shoulder whilst you wait. Derek’s looking at you - he knows something’s up, you can tell - which is exactly why you’re not going to approach him. 

The drinks slide across the counter on a tray, and you swiftly take the opportunity to walk away from Derek and back over to the table, brushing off the internal panic when Spencer smiles at you and joining in on the conversation, which has moved on to DC’s comics. 

You’d completely forgotten, honestly. The bar was noisy; the evening had blurred into fond memories and enthusiastic chatter, and once you’d arrived back at your place, comfy pajamas and a mountain of blankets had been there to remind you that hey, maybe you were more tired than you’d realised. 

Spencer shifts from where he’s got his arm around your waist to look at you, voice quiet. “So do you still want me to tickle you?”

_Oh. Oh no._

You sigh. “Uhm…I…You know you don’t have to-”

“I know. You’re avoiding the question.” He’s smiling. The nerve.

“Spencer.” You look at him despairingly.

“Mhmhm?" 

"Spencer.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“Okay, okay, I. I haven’t changed my mind. Does that count?”

Spencer pauses, and there’s a split second where you worry you’re going to have to spell it out for him.

But then he smirks, tightening his grip around your waist, amusement dancing in his eyes, “Yea, it’ll do.”

What happens next is a bit unclear; somehow Spencer manages to shift you; you feel your back hitting cushions, some of the air leaving your lungs in a gasp, then, almost immediately after, Spencer’s hands latching onto your sides.

The giggles start before you can even think to stop them, and at that point it’s too late; your surprised yelp and following hysterics just encourage Spencer, and he darts his hands up to your ribs, slotting his thumbs in just above two of the lower ones and gently squeezing, over and over, until your back’s arching and your legs are kicking out in protest. Your hands have been holding onto his wrists the whole time, which didn’t stop him at first, and certainly won’t now, since your strength is being sapped away by your own hysterics. 

“Spehencer!” You manage to say, narrowly avoiding letting out a surprised squeak when he moves his hands further back along your ribs. “Wahait, wahait, ah-!” Your hands decide they’d be of more use covering your mouth to suppress the uncontrollable giggles, so that’s where they go, although you notice straight away that it also stops you from being able to talk back. You try anyway.

And then Spencer finds the spot right near the back of your ribs that makes you let out a small shriek, and your arms come flying right back down to push at his shoulders.

“Wait- Wait SpencER-” You tilt your head back, laughing too hard to finish the sentence, because he’s also laughing, head dipped down slightly, hands poised still on that spot whilst he tries to get his composure back.

“Sorry, you caught me off guard there. I thought I’d- I thought you were hurt for a second-”

“No, no, I’m fine….SSSPENCER-” He twitches his fingers once, twice, and you both dissolve into giggles again. Reid’s got the biggest grin on his face as he waits for your anticipatory giggles to subside slightly.

“Oh, right here’s really ticklish, huh?”

“Shush, shhhhhh-” you break off into nervous giggles, one hand coming up to cover your face again. There’s a shift in Spencer’s expression; the fondness on his face shifts, his eyes taking on a mischievous glint. 

“Did you just ‘shush’ me?”

“Um-”

“It’s because I’m flustering you, isn’t it?”

“Uh-”

“You’re avoiding eye contact~” One of his hands moves to gently scribble across your side, and you try to block him, but he just sneaks his hand under your jumper, which sends you into another fit of laughter.

“No, no, I’m not–I-”

“No? You’re a terrible liar, you’re blushing way too hard for me to buy that.” 

“Shut up!” you mutter, managing to grab part of a blanket to hide under. This doesn’t change the fact that Spencer’s still got you trapped, and you realise not being able to see him actually makes things worse. Still, at least he can’t see you getting even more flustered.

“You don’t mean that, you just don’t know how to react to me teasing you.”

“Spencer!”

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

You hesitate, moving the blanket aside in annoyance and looking up at him; he’s got this knowing grin on his face, and if he didn’t currently have his hands over two of your ticklish spots you’d absolutely reach up and push his smug face away. 

“Am I?”

“…Maybe.” 

“You’re cute.” He grins, eyes meeting yours - you’re just about to put him in his place with a well-aimed squeeze to his side when he darts his hands back to the spots near your ribs, and you’re lost to laughter again.

You’ll get around to watching Lord of the Rings, eventually.


End file.
